Xeon Gold 5120 vs Xeon W-3225

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Xeon Gold 5120 vs Xeon W-3225 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Xeon Gold 5120 vs Xeon W-3225: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Xeon Gold 5120

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 105W instead of 160W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-3225 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,132 vs 18,251).
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon W-3225

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $1,319 MSRP, while Xeon Gold 5120 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌52.4% higher power demand at 160W vs 105W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-3225 better than Xeon Gold 5120?

Yes. Xeon W-3225 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 19.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon W-3225 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 19.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W-3225 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Xeon W-3225 is the better buy right now. Xeon W-3225 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $1,319 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 19.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon W-3225 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017), more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 14/28, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Xeon Gold 5120 vs Xeon W-3225 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Xeon Gold 5120

The Xeon Gold 5120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 14 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 18,132 points. Launch price was $1,555.

Xeon W-3225

The Xeon W-3225 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 160 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 18,251 points. Launch price was $1,199.

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Processing Power

The Xeon Gold 5120 packs 14 cores / 28 threads, while the Xeon W-3225 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon Gold 5120 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 5120 versus 4.4 GHz on the Xeon W-3225 — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Xeon W-3225 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Xeon Gold 5120 uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon W-3225 uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon Gold 5120 scores 18,132 against the Xeon W-3225's 18,251 — a 0.7% lead for the Xeon W-3225. L3 cache: 19.25 MB on the Xeon Gold 5120 vs 16.5 MB on the Xeon W-3225.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5120	Xeon W-3225
Cores / Threads	14 / 28+75%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+38%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	3.7 GHz+68%
L3 Cache	19.25 MB+17%	16.5 MB
L2 Cache	14 MB+75%	8 MB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	18,132	18,251
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	11,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,150
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,100

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA3647 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Xeon Gold 5120	Xeon W-3225
Socket	LGA3647	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	—	1024 GB
RAM Channels	—	6
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	64

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Xeon Gold 5120) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon W-3225). Primary use case: Xeon W-3225 targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Xeon W-3225 rivals Ryzen Threadripper 2920X.